The King

This is an Amazing film that actually paints Elvis in a positive light while exposing the culture of racism of American's that loved and continues to love him. Elvis was NOT a racist but couldn't escape the fact the a large portion of his fans were. The fake quote wasn't the catalyst behind the belief of him being racist. It was the racist experiences of the many black fans that adored him that actually generated the thought that he was part of that horrible time in America. The experiences included things like the fact that many black fans couldn't see him in the same venue along side their white peers, or the fact that they were thrown out of concerts for made up reasons or not let in at all. It also didn't help that he was the biggest star during arguably the worst time in America and said very little about the injustices that he himself hated and sometimes experienced himself ( ie, when he toured with black band members or vilified for sounding and dancing too "black"). Many minority fans waited for the time when The King would prove that he was an ally but that time never came even when America's race relations were coming to a boiling point in the 60's. Those fans felt portrayed and essentially lumped him in with the era he was so closely tied with. It didn't help that later it was discovered that the music he made his millions from was written by black song writers who didn't get a dime. It also didn't help that his later "self absorbed" "Vegas" years exposed a tortured and sometime contentious, unlikable person. With that said, I really think he gets a bad wrap for things he couldn't control , or who knows, wasn't allowed to control.